Butterfly Gardens

Think back to when you were a child.  Remember how magical it was when you saw a butterfly?  These backyard beauties are the closest things we have next to fairies.  And still to this day when I watch someone (of any age) see a butterfly, a little bit of magic makes them pause and smile.  Butterflies create fascinating movement in our garden, almost like flying flowers, and if you want them fluttering around your house, consider planting a butterfly garden.  Changing your backyard can be fun, think of this… If nothing ever changed, there’d be no butterflies.  A flower garden designed to attract butterflies should provide four things: food sources, sunlight, moisture and protection from strong winds.

FOOD SOURCES

Butterflies eat different plants at different stages of development.  So it is important to have a variety of food sources available to them.  The plants you select for the garden and surrounding home landscape will make a big difference.  You need to provide two types of food for butterflies: plant tissue for when they are caterpillars, and nectar sources for when they have matured into winged adults.  Trees and shrubs may be used to provide food for the leaf-eating caterpillars.  Recommended plants include Malus, Prunus and Azaleas.  Other good food sources for caterpillars include perennials like Violets, Aster and Hollyhock.  Suggested annual flowers include Dianthus, Lantana and Verbena.  Recommended perennial flowers include Butterfly Bush, Coreopsis, Echinacea, and Liatris.  And yes, some herbs are attractive to butterflies!  Dill, Fennel, and Parsley are good selections.  Butterflies also enjoy fresh fruit like banana, papaya or oranges!  Place some near the edge of the garden and watch them feed.  For more butterfly attracting plants visit our web site.

SUNLIGHT

Butterflies are cold-blooded and need the warmth of the sun to raise their body temperatures to level where they can fly.  Six hours of sunlight a day will ensure enough light and warmth for both butterflies and plants.  Strategically placing a few large flat rocks or stepping stones in the garden will give the butterflies a place to perch and bask in the warm sun.  And since we are The ROCK Pile, finding the right natural stone will not be a problem.

MOISTURE

Like all living things, butterflies need water to survive.  They prefer shallow water, so place a few containers filled with pebbles around the garden.  Fill the container with just enough water to cover the gravel.  Soon, you will have groups of male butterflies hanging out near the water looking for a mate.

PROTECTION FROM STRONG WINDS

How much does a butterfly weigh?  Does anyone really know? They are estimated to weigh between 0.003 and 1.5 grams.  In other words, they’re light as air.  Therefore, these creatures need to be protected against strong winds.  Butterflies prefer to feed and lay eggs in sheltered areas, where they will not be cooled by harsh wind nor have to fight against gusts.  Planting tall shrubs, vines and trees around the perimeter of the garden will provide the needed windbreak.  Shrubs and trees can serve a dual purpose.  Choose plants that provide nectar as well as shelter.

SETTING UP YOUR BUTTERFLY GARDEN

Before you start planting, choose the right location for your butterfly oasis.  Place the garden where you will be able to easily watch the butterflies.  Plant flowers in large groups for more impact rather than a single species.  And even if you don’t see a butterfly right away, you have not only set up a beautiful garden but you have also invited other lovely fluttering friends to visit your back yard.  Butterfly gardens will also attract nectar-feeding animals like hummingbirds!  One last note: if you can… resist the urge to use pesticides.  This will be one of the most important conservation decisions you make in your own back yard.  Instead, use more benign spot treatments on plants troubled with pest insects.  Use alternative methods such as oils, soaps, and microbial insecticides.  Oils and soaps can still kill caterpillars, but the likelihood of butterfly genocide will be far less if you stick with organic solutions.  You can always pick any undesirables by hand and remove them from the garden… but that’s if you’re really “picky.”  Get it?  The more you learn about butterflies, the more you can provide the most desirable habitat possible.

Here is a list of plants that Butterflies love:

ANNUALS

Ageratum

Calibrachoa

Dianthus

Lantana

Pentas

Petunias

Snapdragons

Verbena

PERENNIALS

Coreopsis

Echinacea

Gaura

Lavendula

Leucanthemum

Liatris

Monarda

Salvia

Sedum

Stokesia

HERBS

Dill

Fennel

Parsley

TREES & SHRUBS

Betularuigra

Buddleia

Clethra

Lonicera

Malus

Prunus

Quercus

Azalea

Salix

Syringa Vulgaris